1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a vehicle seat side air bag assembly for providing vehicle occupant protection.
2. Background Art
Vehicles have previously included seat side air bag assemblies mounted on a vehicle seat back or on a vehicle adjacent a seat back to provide vehicle occupant protection. Such side air bag assemblies conventionally include a resilient bolster having a frame, a foam pad mounted by the frame, and a trim cover that covers the foam pad and has an air bag release seam through which an air bag upon deployment Is projected outwardly to provide occupant protection. See, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,816,610 Higashiura et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 5,860,673 Hasegawa et al.; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,938,232 Kalandek et al. Different constructions have been utilized to permit passage of the air bag past foam seat padding when inflated by an inflator for movement from within the seat component outwardly through the trim cover release seam. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,045,151 Wu discloses a seat pad having a slot through which the air bag moves from an air bag module to the release seam and also discloses a cloth sleeve that extends entirely about the associated air bag module and to the release seam. Also, U.S. Pat. No. 6,237,934 Harrell et al. and U.S. Pat. No. 6,588,838 Dick, Jr. et al., both of which are assigned to the assignee of the present invention, disclose air bag modules wherein the air bag module is located closely adjacent to the release seam to facilitate the air bag deployment. Other references noted by an investigation conducted in connection with the present invention include: U.S. Pat. No. 5,498,030 Hill et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 5,651,582 Nakano; U.S. Pat. No. 5,863,063 Harrell; U.S. Pat. No. 6,206,466 Komatsu; U.S. Pat. No. 6,254,122 Wu et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 6,293,580 Lachat et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 6,416,078 Lutz et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 6,450,528 Suezawa et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 6,481,744 Melia; and U.S. Pat. No. 7,004,496 Bossecker et al.; and United States Patent Application Publications: US 2002/0130537 Lotspih; US2 005/0006933 Bargheer et al.; and US 2006/0066078 Hofmann.